# Data Centers in Carteret County, NC: Rules, Power, Records | FOUND Carteret County, North Carolina for data-center and land buyers: local actions, announced projects, county zoning, electric providers, and the land records offices. Canonical: https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/carteret-county/ Last updated 2026.09.30 ## Carteret County at a glance - County seat: Beaufort - Population, 2024 estimate: 70259 - Land area, square miles: 507.6 - Development tier, 2026: Tier 3 - Last reappraisal: 2025 - Next reappraisal: 2029 - Regional council: Eastern Carolina Council of Governments ## Local government actions - Newport, 2026-09, adopted: The town adopted a moratorium lasting at least one year on new data centers, data processing facilities, and cryptocurrency mining operations. It applies within town limits and the extraterritorial jurisdiction. https://www.witn.com/2026/09/16/newport-approves-moratorium-data-center-development/ https://www.publicradioeast.org/2026-09-17/newport-approves-one-year-freeze-on-new-data-centers-and-crypto-mining?_amp=true ## Announced projects We have no announced data-center project on record for this county. ## Zoning and land-use rules in Carteret County Carteret County zones part of its unincorporated land. The rest has no county zoning district. County zoning excludes areas regulated by the Down East Conservation Ordinance and other local governments. https://library.municode.com/nc/carteret_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_APXCZOOR https://mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us/api/ordinanceDownload/12411/1092176/pdf ### How the county ordinance treats a data center Our search of the county ordinance text found no data-center use by name. A planner decides which listed use applies to a project. The full zoning ordinance was searched for all six requested use terms, and none names a use. https://mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us/api/ordinanceDownload/12411/1092176/pdf ### Municipalities in Carteret County Atlantic Beach, Beaufort, Bogue, Cape Carteret, Cedar Point, Emerald Isle, Indian Beach, Morehead City, Newport, Peletier, Pine Knoll Shores ## Electric providers in Carteret County North Carolina assigns electric service by territory, so the provider for a parcel depends on where the parcel sits. These providers have territory or customers in Carteret County. - Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative (cooperative) https://www.ncelectriccooperatives.com/our-members - Duke Energy Progress (investor-owned) https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/zip/f8612024.zip A provider's presence does not show that it can serve a large load at a given point. Only the utility can state that. ## Where the land records are in Carteret County - [Carteret County GIS parcel viewer](https://arcgisweb.carteretcountync.gov/maps/): Parcel boundaries, parcel numbers, the owner of record, and mapped acreage. - [Carteret County Register of Deeds](https://carteretcountync.gov/162/Register-of-Deeds): Deeds, plats, easements, and deeds of trust. - [Carteret County Register of Deeds Online Database](https://deeds.carteretcountync.gov/): Recorded documents, searched by name or by book and page. - [Carteret County Tax Office](https://www.carteretcountync.gov/154/Tax-Office): Assessed value, tax bills, and present-use status. - [Carteret County Planning & Development](https://carteretcountync.gov/170/Planning-Development): Zoning maps, the ordinance, and permit history. ## Reappraisal and development tier Carteret County last reappraised real property effective 2025. The next reappraisal is scheduled for 2029. The North Carolina Department of Commerce ranks Carteret County as Tier 3 for 2026. Tier 1 marks the most economically distressed counties and Tier 3 the least. The tier sets eligibility for several state incentive programs. ## How to read this County and town are different governments. A county can have no pause while a town inside it has one, and the reverse. Before you rely on any row, confirm which government regulates the parcel, then read the ordinance in the linked source for its scope and end date. ### Does Carteret County have a data center moratorium? The public record shows adopted local action in Carteret County: Newport (2026-09). Read the linked ordinance for its scope and end date, because boards extend and amend these. ### What data centers are planned in Carteret County? We have no announced data-center project on record for Carteret County as of 2026.09.30. ### Does Carteret County have zoning? Carteret County zones part of its unincorporated land. The rest has no county zoning district. County zoning excludes areas regulated by the Down East Conservation Ordinance and other local governments. ### Who provides electricity in Carteret County? Providers with territory or customers in Carteret County: Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative; Duke Energy Progress. The provider for a parcel depends on where the parcel sits. ### Where do I find parcel records for Carteret County? The Carteret County GIS parcel viewer shows parcel boundaries and the owner of record. The Carteret County Register of Deeds holds deeds, plats, and easements. ## Neighboring counties - [Craven County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/craven-county/index.md) - [Hyde County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/hyde-county/index.md) - [Jones County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/jones-county/index.md) - [Onslow County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/onslow-county/index.md) - [Pamlico County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/pamlico-county/index.md) ## Sources for this page - [U.S. Census Bureau, County Population Totals, Vintage 2024](https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html) - [U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files, Counties](https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html) - [2026 North Carolina Development Tier Designations, N.C. Department of Commerce, November 26, 2025](https://www.commerce.nc.gov/report-county-tiers-ranking-memo-current-year/open) - [2026-2027 Property Tax Rates And Reappraisal Schedules For North Carolina Counties, N.C. Department of Revenue](https://www.ncdor.gov/2026-2027countytaxratesfinalxlsx/open) - [Regional Councils, North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments](https://ncarcog.org/regional-councils/) - [Carteret County ordinance use search](https://mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us/api/ordinanceDownload/12411/1092176/pdf) - [Carteret County Zoning Ordinance](https://library.municode.com/nc/carteret_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_APXCZOOR) - [Carteret County Planning & Development](https://carteretcountync.gov/170/Planning-Development) - [Carteret County GIS parcel viewer](https://arcgisweb.carteretcountync.gov/maps/) - [Carteret County Register of Deeds](https://carteretcountync.gov/162/Register-of-Deeds) - [Carteret County Register of Deeds Online Database](https://deeds.carteretcountync.gov/) - [Carteret County Tax Office](https://www.carteretcountync.gov/154/Tax-Office) - [Our Members | North Carolina's Electric Cooperatives](https://www.ncelectriccooperatives.com/our-members) - [Company-reported county service territories, Form EIA-861 2024 final data (Service_Territory_2024.xlsx)](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/zip/f8612024.zip) - [www.witn.com](https://www.witn.com/2026/09/16/newport-approves-moratorium-data-center-development/) - [www.publicradioeast.org](https://www.publicradioeast.org/2026-09-17/newport-approves-one-year-freeze-on-new-data-centers-and-crypto-mining?_amp=true) Transactions are handled through a licensed North Carolina real estate brokerage.